What makes a good fish cleaning table?

A:

Quick Answer

A good fish cleaning table has a large work surface, a sink, a way to dispose of waste, a cooler to hold clean fish and storage for fish cleaning supplies. Construct the work surface from a material that's easy to sanitize.

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The fish cleaning table's most basic element is the table top. Although a wood top is the most knife-friendly, wood is vulnerable to saturation with bacteria-laden fluids, mold and other toxins. Stainless steel and hard plastic are safer, easy-to-clean alternatives.

An ideal table has a sink with running water for rinsing the clean fish and washing the table top and cleaning supplies. The sink can drain directly to the ground or into a bucket placed below the drain hole.

The table also needs a convenient way to dispose of waste. A practical receptacle consists of a hole in the table top large enough to accommodate fish heads and entrails with a large pail underneath to catch the waste.

A cooler to store the clean fish is mandatory. If the table top is large enough, a built-in cooler supported by a shelf underneath the table is ideal. The cooler needs a drain that allows it to be thoroughly washed and rinsed.